iPlayer UHD not working

[lucasjohnston]

Background: I've got a Philips 55OLED803 which, despite fully supporting HLG, does not support UHD with the native BBC iPlayer tv app. I also have a NVDIA Shield and Apple TV 4K, but of course neither of those support UHD iPlayer either 🙄 I used to use a 4K Fire Stick until they suspended that last year (see here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/help/questions/features/uhd-amazon-fire), and have since been begrudgingly without iPlayer UHD content.

I got a V6 box earlier this year and recently found out I should have access to UHD iPlayer content through it (woo!) but it's not working.

I can get HDR content through Netflix and the Virgin UHD channel, so I know the problem is specific to the V6 iPlayer app. I've played around with picture settings (currently I have all enabled, right up to 2160p passthrough), tried enabling iPlayer beta, even reset the entire box but am still getting no joy. It's quite frustrating. No UHD playback or even tag on the title.

Really want to get this working before the Doctor Who UHD simulcast via iPlayer on New Year's Eve! 
I'm also on Ultimate Oomph and might get upgraded to V360 this week (which would solve things 🤞) but don't want to rely on that.

Specs below:
iPlayer Application Version: 17.11.2.0
iPlayer Bigscreen Version: 4.5.2
iPlayer Framework Version: 11.2.0
iPlayer Device: TIVO STB 2016 LF UHD
iPlayer Colour Depth: 24 bits-per-pixel
iPlayer Screen & Layout Resolutions: 1280x720
V6 Video Output Format: All (up to 2160p pass-through)
V6 Platform: DCX960
V6 Hardware Version: 2048.0
V6 Software Version: 20.10.1.RC21
V6 HDMI Status: HDCP 2.2 enabled

[newapollo]

Hi lucasjohnston,

Yes the V6 (and TV360) can play UHD, however the format the BBC uses doesn't seem to be supported on your TV bbc.co.uk/iplayer/uhd-connected-tv 

It's possible that the iPlayer may play a few of the UHD programs, but not necessarily all of them 

My Toshiba TV is on the supported list and I have the same specs on my V6 as yourself apart from the 

iPlayer Screen & Layout Resolutions: 1280x720
V6 Video Output Format: All (up to 2160p pass-through)

In my case I have my V6 Video Output Format set to 2160p and 2160p pass through - nothing else selected. (the V6 is doing the upscaling)

Using my TV remote I can confirm that my iPlayer Screen & Layout Resolution shows as 3840x2160 

When you go into the iPlayer settings can you see "try new features in iPlayer BETA and play the UHD test loop?

When searching UHD in IPlayer I can see and play His Dark Materials, Dracula and Dynasties, Queens Christmas Broadcast, Black Narcissus,  and Meerkat: A Dynasties Special which are labelled UHD.

Also Seven Worlds, One Planet and Blue Planet 11 which although not labelled as UHD do play in UHD.

[lucasjohnston]

Hi Dave,

I thought whether my TV is on that list is irrelevant - I thought that's a list of devices that have a UHD-enabled BBC iPlayer app, but any "HDR TV that supports HLG" should be able to use a Fire Cube, V6, or other streaming device to watch UHD content with iPlayer. My TV is HLG & HDR compliant, so it should work with UHD iPlayer through my V6 box - in the same way that UHD iPlayer worked when I was using the 4K Fire Stick before it got shut down. This is a V6 problem.

I'm aware that only a few programmes would play in UHD - His Dark Materials, Dynasties, etc - but unfortunately not of them work (see initial post for details). I do not see the "Play UHD test loop" option, only the choice between using iPlayer and iPlayer BETA (which I'm on). Forcing 2160p output hasn't changed anything, sadly. Nothing is labelled as UHD.

It's also worth nothing the the "Automatic Format" for my TV keeps being detected as 1080p by the V6. I can select 2160p manually, but it defaults to 1080p output. Not sure if you have that on your set-up, I'm thinking perhaps the V6 communicates the default detected format (which for some reason is 1080p for me) during app launch regardless of what you select in menu.

[happyrobot]

That's correct lucas and am unaware why Dave listed that as a response. That's a list of devices that support iplayer on their native app. 

Can we get a proper answer here from the mods? 

[newapollo]

The response was due to the TV, not the app.

How Can I Watch 4K (UHD) Content On BBC iPlayer?
1. You need to make sure you have a TV that supports 4K, and is supported by BBC iPlayer, as well as a compatible 4K streaming device (or a Smart TV).    https://www.cordbusters.co.uk/bbc-iplayer-brings-back-4k-uhd/

The Philips 55OLED803 is not shown as a device supported by the BBC iPlayer  

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/help/questions/features/uhd-connected-tv 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/help/questions/supported-devices/philips

My reading of the above is even if a 3rd party app/device supports the 4K iPlayer, it won't play if the actual TV isn't supported.

Hope to be proven wrong.

[happyrobot]

Don't know what cordbusters is, but as per the bbc site:

What devices are supported?

Our UHD trials are supported on the devices listed below (by manufacturer). For the full effect, you'll need an HDR TV that supports HLG. We recommend contacting manufacturers for more details about HLG support. Please note that Sky Q UHD is not currently supported. 

Apart from the fact it would make no sense for 4k iplayer to only be available on TVs which already have a native 4k playing iplayer app, it's not accurate with how these devices work. 

The TVs simply require HDCP 2.2 and HLG/HDR 10 support to play them. 

This point in these boxes/players supporting apps in this manner is because the native apps do not work even if they have the tech to support it as all the magic is going through the streaming device. The HDMI socket just needs to be capable of accepting the signal. 

It's an issue with Virgin and I would hope someone would answer. 

[ozsat]

The iPlayer app is supplied by the BBC and works fine here on a V6 in UHD/HLG.

As HDR is working from the device I suspect something is missing in the signal from the tv back to the iPlayer app.

The device works - the BBC software does not with your tv - that is where you need to ask if you have enabled the app correctly.

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@happyrobot wrote:

Don't know what cordbusters is, but as per the bbc site:

What devices are supported?

Our UHD trials are supported on the devices listed below (by manufacturer). For the full effect, you'll need an HDR TV that supports HLG. We recommend contacting manufacturers for more details about HLG support. Please note that Sky Q UHD is not currently supported. 

Apart from the fact it would make no sense for 4k iplayer to only be available on TVs which already have a native 4k playing iplayer app, it's not accurate with how these devices work. 

The TVs simply require HDCP 2.2 and HLG/HDR 10 support to play them. 

This point in these boxes/players supporting apps in this manner is because the native apps do not work even if they have the tech to support it as all the magic is going through the streaming device. The HDMI socket just needs to be capable of accepting the signal. 

It's an issue with Virgin and I would hope someone would answer. 

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[BenMcr]

Just to check along with just selecting the 2160p and 2160p passthrough on the V6 box, that you have the UHD colour gamut set correctly as I've not seen it mentioned?

https://www.download.p4c.philips.com/files/6/65oled803_12/65oled803_12_dfu_eng.pdf

Adjust the colour gamut
Settings > All settings > Picture > Advanced > Colour > Colour gamut.

Select Normal or Wide to set the type of colour gamut

It needs to be set to 'Wide'

And just for clarity for anyone finding this post in the future, the Virgin TV box needs to be on HDMI 1 or 2:

The TV can play HDR programmes* from HDMI 1 or HDMI 2 connection, broadcasting, from an Internet source or from a connected USB memory
device.

* Only HDR10 and Hybrid Log Gamma HDR are supported

[happyrobot]

Just to add to the op. I am experiencing everything you have with regards to your experience. From the auto detection setting to 1080p etc

4k on BT ultimate works fine as does 4k HDR Netflix via v6. 

Just to dispel any other assumptions about the TVs not sending the right signal for iplayer or both the TV and v6 box needing to both be compatible via iplayer... Not true. 

4k on Iplayer via ps4 Pro worked on my Sony TV without any issues AND the TV is not an official supported device on the iplayer list. Only the V6 box has to be. 

As long as your tv and hdmi slots are HDCP 2.2 and HDR 10 capable, the iplayer app should work. There is an issue with the virgin v6 box or the iplayer app. I assume the former. Hopefully virgin see this and help fix it. 

[happyrobot]

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@ozsat wrote:

The iPlayer app is supplied by the BBC and works fine here on a V6 in UHD/HLG.

As HDR is working from the device I suspect something is missing in the signal from the tv back to the iPlayer app.

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@happyrobot wrote:

Don't know what cordbusters is, but as per the bbc site:

What devices are supported?

Our UHD trials are supported on the devices listed below (by manufacturer). For the full effect, you'll need an HDR TV that supports HLG. We recommend contacting manufacturers for more details about HLG support. Please note that Sky Q UHD is not currently supported. 

Apart from the fact it would make no sense for 4k iplayer to only be available on TVs which already have a native 4k playing iplayer app, it's not accurate with how these devices work. 

The TVs simply require HDCP 2.2 and HLG/HDR 10 support to play them. 

This point in these boxes/players supporting apps in this manner is because the native apps do not work even if they have the tech to support it as all the magic is going through the streaming device. The HDMI socket just needs to be capable of accepting the signal. 

It's an issue with Virgin and I would hope someone would answer. 

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Again, sorry, but this is incorrect information